Broom handle adaptor



Sept. 11, 1962 M. J. KUBICK BROOM HANDLE ADAPTOR Filed April 18, 1960INVENTOR MATTHEW J. KUBICK MAmM ti BY ATTORNEYS.

3,052,907 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 dice 3,052,997 BRGOM HANDLE ADAPTGRMatthew J. Kuhick, Lynbrook, N .Y., assignor to Brookiyn Fibre Broom30., inc, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 13, 196%,Ser. No. 22,985 4 Claims. (Cl. 146) The present invention relates topush brooms and more particularly to an adaptor for joining a handle tothe brush.

The conventional push broom consists of a brush having a wooden headwith two threaded openings angularly disposed in the top and a stickhandle with a threaded end. Flat-topped brushes with which the presentinvention is concerned are made in various sizes and, as produced byvarious manufacturers, require different size handles, all of whichnecessitates the keeping of large inventories by the wholesalers andretailers.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a single adaptorwhich can be used on flat-top brushes varying in thickness throughoutthe normal commercial range, which adaptor will receive any standardstick handle with a tapered end. In this manner the wholesalers andretailers need stock only one size handle which can be usedinterchangeably with any size brush.

In order to provide for periodically reversing the brush on the handlethe adaptor must be susceptible of being secured to the brush head ineither of two directions. As will appear from the following discussion,the adaptor embodying the present invention has the aforesaid ability.

Generally speaking there is provided in accordance with the invention abroom assembly which includes a brush having a fiat-top head with atleast one pair of parallel sides, a stud projecting from the center ofthe top of the head, a handle adaptor having a base for resting on thetop of the head with a slotted aperture for accommodating the stud whichpasses therethrough, a first means depending from the base and spacedfrom the aperture for overhanging the head and engaging one of the sidesthereof for preventing movement of the base on the head relative theretoin a first direction toward the stud, a second means depending from thebase for engaging the top of the head to prevent movement of the base ina direction opposite to the first direction which movement wouldotherwise be permitted by the slotted aperture, removable fasteningmeans mounted on the stud for securing the adaptor to the head, and anupstanding handle socket joined to the base.

Further in accordance with the invention the first means comprises aflange-like portion depending from the base along a straight line normalto the major axis of the slotted aperture and spaced therefrom .a givendistance, the upstanding handle socket is joined to the base at an angleother than perpendicular and includes means for resisting withdrawal ofa handle, the axis of the socket lying in a plane normal to the straightline, and the aforementioned second means comprises a sharp edgedportion depending from the base for biting into the top of a brush head,the given distance between the aperture and the straight line being suchthat the flange-like portion is adapted to engage the side of a brushhead when a portion of the operture is over the center of the head.

The invention will be better understood after reading the followingdetailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof with referenceto the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top View of the handle adaptor embodying e present inventionshowing it in assembled relationship with respect to a brush and handle;

FIG. 1A shows the tapered end of a stick handle as employed in theassembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 42 is .a transverse sectional view taken along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1with the handle removed;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary view of a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a view of the open end of the handle socket;

FIG. 3A is a fragmentary enlarged View of a detail of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 4-4 in FTG. 1.

Reference should now be had to the drawings wherein the same referencenumerals are employed throughout to designate the same or similar parts.

A portion of a brush is shown at 10 having a rectangular flat-top head11 of wood and a centrally located stud 12 projecting from its top. Thestud may be anchored in the head of the brush in any well-known mannerand, as shown, is externally threaded.

The handle adaptor is designated generally by the numeral 13. It isprovided with a generally rectangular base or flat sole portion 14 forresting on the top of the brush head. At one edge of the sole portion 14there is provided a depending member or means in the form of a straightflange-like heel portion 15 which overhangs the brush head 11 so as toengage the lateral wall 16 thereof. A slotted aperture 17 is provided inthe base 14, as shown, with its major axis coincident with the mediantransverse axis of the sole portion 14, the aperture lying wholly in thehalf of the sole portion which appears to the left of the center line 18as best seen in FIG. 1. An upstanding handle socket 19 is joined to theother half of the sole portion in the same plane as the major axis ofthe slot. The socket 19 is inclined with respect to the base 14 awayfrom the aperture 17 as best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing. At theopposite edge of the base 14 there is provided a depending element ormeans 24 for engaging the top of the brush head 11 when the adaptor issecured thereto. The means 20 takes the form of a broad tooth which hasa cross-sectional shape approximating a right triangle with thehypotenuse facing the heel portion 115. Details of this tooth are bestillustrated in FIGURES 2A and 4. It will be seen from the latter thatthe tooth diminishes in height from its center towards its respectiveends. The base on the side of the slotted aperture opposite the toothedside is free from protuberances which might mar the surface of the ead.

In order removably to secure the tapered end of a stick handle in thesocket 19, the latter is provided with a plurality of sharp edged ribs21 projecting from the interior wall 22 of the socket. The ribs arespaced uniformly around the interior wall and lie in planes passingthrough the axis of the socket. As best seen in FIG. 3A each of the ribshas a uniform triangular cross-section throughout its length.

As illustrated in the drawings, the handle adaptor is assembled to theminimum thickness brush for which it is dimensioned. When assembly theadaptor to the brush head the flange or heel 15 is engaged with a sideor lateral wall 16 of the brush head 11 so as to position the aperture17 over the threaded stud 12. It will be noted in the drawings that thestud assumes a position at the extreme right hand edge of the slot 17.Since the stud is centered in the brush head, as the thickness of thelatter increases, the stud will advance to the left until it reaches theleft hand limit of the aperture 17. The size of the aperture, therefore,determines the minimum and maximum thickness of the brush head which theadaptor can accommodate.

'With the adaptor in position on the head of the brush, a wing nut orother fastening means 23 is threaded upon or otherwise secured to thestud 12 so as to urge the base portion 14 of the adaptor down upon thebrush head 11.

This action will cause the broad tooth 20 to bite into the top surfaceof the head 11. Due to the direction of slope of the tooth it will tendto urge the adaptor to the left as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawing toinsure intimate contact between the heel 15 and the side of the head 16.It will be readily appreciated that the heel of the adaptor i3 preventsmovement of the adaptor relative to the head of the brush in a firstdirection toward the stud 12 while the tooth imbedded in the headprevents movement of the base portion 14 in the opposite direction. Thetooth 29, the heel 15 and the stud 12 cooperate to prevent rotation ofthe adaptor relative to the brush head. It should also be readilyapparent that the adapto can be reversed with respect to the brush inorder that the handle socket point in the opposite direction and theheel 15 engage the opposite side 24 of the brush head 11.

When a tapered handle 25 having an end such as shown in FIG. 1A isinserted into the socket 19 of the adaptor, the sharp edged ribs 21 willembed and bite into the wood of the handle. It has been found that theseribs when embedded develop sulficient friction to resist withdrawal ofthe handle from the socket in normal usage of the broom. If, however, itis desired to permanently attach the handle to the adaptor a nail orscrew may be driven into the handle through either or both of theapertures 26a and 26!), illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Purely by way of example, it has been found that the followingdimensions produce satisfactory results. The mouth or open end of thehandle socket 19 is provided with an opening having a diameter of 0.990inch. The socket is made at least two inches long with the diameter at apoint 2 inches removed from the mouth being 0.740 inch. The ribs 21 havean apex angle of 90 and a height of approximately 19, of an inch. Thebroad tooth 20 has a height at its center of l of an inch. The remainingdimensions are controlled by the size brushes for which the adaptor isintended to be used.

Having described one preferred embodiment of the present invention, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may bemade therein without departing from the real spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A broom assembly comprising a brush having a flat-top head with atleast one pair'of parallel sides, a stud projecting from the center ofthe top of said head, a handle adaptor having a base for resting on thetop of said head with a slotted aperture for accommodating said studwhich passes therethrough, means depending from said base and spacedfrom said aperture for overhanging said head and engaging one of saidsides for preventing movement of said base on said head relative theretoin a first direction toward said stud, a broad tooth depending from saidbase and extending in a direction at right an gles to said firstdirection on one side of said slotted aperture for biting into the topof said head when said adaptor is secured thereto to prevent movement ofsaid base in a direction opposite to said first direction which movementwould otherwise be permitted by said slotted aperture, the base on theother side of said slotted aperture being free from protuberances whichmight mar the surface of the head at a point where it is engaged by thetooth when the handle adaptor is reversed, said broad Car tooth havingan inclined surface facing said means depending from the base for urgingsaid base in said first direction as the tooth enters the top of thehead, removable fastening means mounted on said stud for securing saidadaptor to said head and urging said base into intimate contact with thetop of said head, and an upstanding handle socket joined to said base.

2. A broom handle adaptor comprising a generally fiat bottomed base forresting on a flat-top brush head, a slotted aperture in said base, aflange depending from said base along a straight line normal to themajor axis of said slotted aperture and spaced therefrom a givendistance, an upstanding handle socket joined to said base at an angleother than perpendicular, the axis of said socket lying in a planenormal to said straight line, and sharp edged means depending from saidbase and extending parallel to said straight line on one side of saidslotted aperture for biting into the top of a brush head, the givendistance between said aperture and said straight line being such thatsaid flange is adapted to engage the side of a brush head when a portionof said aperture is over the center of said head, said sharp edged meansbeing shaped to impart lateral movement to the adaptor so as to draw theflange closer to the center of the brush head as the adaptor is fastenedthereto, and the base on the other side of said slotted aperture fromsaid one side is free from protuberances which might mar the surface ofthe brush head at a point where it is engaged by the sharp edged meanswhen the handle adaptor is reversed relative to the head.

3. A broom handle adaptor comprising a flat sole portion of generallyrectangular configuration, a straight flange forming a heel dependingfrom said sole portion along one of its longer edges, a slotted aperturein said sole portion having its major axis coincident with the mediantransverse axis of the sole portion and lying Wholly in the half of saidsole portion remote from said one edge, an upstanding handle socketjoined to the other half of said sole portion along said transverse axisand inclined away from said aperture, and broad tooth means dependingfrom said sole portion along the other longer edge thereof, the bottomof said sole portion between said heel portion and said aperture beingfree from protuberances which might mar the surface of a broom head, andsaid broad tooth means having a cross-sectional shape of a righttriangle with the hypotenuse facing said heel.

4. A broom handle adaptor according to claim 3, wherein said broad toothmeans is tapered along its length having a maximum height at its centerwhich decreases uniformly towards both ends.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS675,907 Richter June 11, 1901 1,073,034 Ford Sept. 9, 1913 1,756,801Trippeda et al April 29, 1930 1,983,923 Stevens et al. Dec. 11, 1934FOREIGN PATENTS 39,708 Switzerland April 9, 1907 767,856 'France. May 7,1934 OTHER REFERENCES Article in Modern Plastics, pp. and 121, Pet.

